It is common practice in motor vehicle air conditioning systems to have a plate and fin type evaporator and a canister type accumulator as a separate component connected between the evaporator and the suction side of the compressor. In the quest to reduce the space required for the vehicle accessories, some such components have been downsized significantly but it appears that further gains are not readily forthcoming particularly in the direction of attempting to downsize further by integrating the evaporator and accumulator as one component because of the vast traditional differences in their construction.